Eddie Hearn claims Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua will happen ‘THIS YEAR’ in bizarre Luke Littler question

EDDIE HEARN believes Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua WILL clash this year.

The Brit duo have been publicly jawing down one another for the best part of a decade and even inked terms for a scrap in 2020.

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Promoter Eddie Hearn believes AJ will share the ring with Fury later this year[/caption]

EPA

Promoter Eddie Hearn believes AJ will share the ring with Fury later this year[/caption]

Getty

Promoter Eddie Hearn believes AJ will share the ring with Fury later this year[/caption]

But their eagerly-anticipated domestic dust-up has yet to come to fruition, much to the frustration of boxing fans worldwide.

Their long overdue Battle of Britain, however, is now back on the menu following four wins on the bounce for former unified heavyweight king Joshua.

And in a bizarre question involving darts star Luke Littler, Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn revealed his belief that the biggest fight in the sport will materialise before year’s end.

He told talkTV’s Piers Morgan: “Because the Darts Championship happens in December and January, I’m gonna say that Fury vs AJ happens this year.

“So I’m gonna say Fury vs AJ [happens first].”

Boxing fans were set to be treated to back-to-back showdowns involving Fury and Joshua after the pair inked a lucrative two-fight series in June 2020.

But the deal went up in smoke when former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder won his arbitration case for a trilogy fight with the Gypsy King.

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Joshua, 34, got himself back in world title contention in 2023 with three solid wins.

And he solidified his status as one of the best heavyweights on the planet with a brutal knockout of former UFC champ Francis Ngannou last month.

For Fury vs Joshua to happen this year, the former must first win his upcoming back-to-back undisputed showdowns with former pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.

The contractual obligation for the pair to rematch will likely scupper Hearn’s prediction.

Meanwhile, Littler rose to global superstardom during the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship.

He stunned the world last year with an incredible run to the tournament’s final, which included wins over Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross.

But he was pipped to the Sid Wadell trophy by Luke Humphries, although his run to the final bagged him a spot in the Premer League of Darts.

Hearn and his dad Barry – unlike the darts board – had no reservations about putting him in the competition.

Recalling their conversation with the board, Eddie said: “Our answer was, ‘Yeah, absolutely. Sling him in.'”

Barry is a big fan of Littler and reckons it won’t be long before he gets his hands on the Sid Waddell trophy.

He said: “To win the world championships it might take him another year. I’ve seen players like Michael van Gerwen, at his age, do similar things – amazing things.

“And it was followed by a two or three-year period where Michael van Gerwen couldn’t win an argument.

“I think Luke Littler is more balanced and settled than Michael was, domestically and on the stage.

“But it’s still an obstacle to overcome – the marathon of all sports.

“Forget everything else, the darts world championships is a real mental test.”

Barry and Eddie Hearn reckon Luke Littler is a world champion in the makingAP